PGA Tour Congressional hearing opening remarks leaked; Sen. Blumenthal goes scorched Earth
On Tuesday, PGA Tour board member Jimmy Dunne and COO Ron Price will testify before Congress pertaining to the shocking deal with the Saudi PIF.
On Tuesday morning, PGA Tour Chief Operating Officer, Ron Price, and policy board member, Jimmy Dunne, are set to testify before the United States Senate.
Congress has become involved with the blockbuster deal between the PGA Tour and the Saudi Arabian Pubic Investment Fund (PIF). Concerns regarding antitrust violations, as well as alleged sportswashing are surely to be discussed.
On Monday evening however, an excerpt of the planned opening remarks from (D) Sen. Blumenthal from Connecticut have been revealed, per Golf Digest’s Joel Beall. The Senator does not appear to be pulling any punches out of the gate.
Received an excerpt from Senator Blumenthal’s opening remarks for tomorrow's Congressional hearing on proposed deal between the PGA Tour and Saudi Arabia: pic.twitter.com/ZPorRMIzaj
— Joel Beall (@JoelMBeall) July 11, 2023
“Today’s hearing is about much more than the game of golf. It is about how a brutal, repressive regime can buy influence... even take over a cherished American institution,” the statement reads.
“A regime that has killed journalists, jailed and tortured dissidents... supported terrorist activities including 9/11.”
Sen. Blumenthal isn’t sparing the PGA Tour either.
“It is also about the hypocrisy, and how vast sums of money can induce individuals and institutions to betray their own values and supporters, or reveal lack of values from the beginning.”
He certainly would not be alone in this sentiment. 9/11 Families United have expressed outrage upon the news of the Saudi takeover of global golf.
PGA Tour golfers such as Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm have conveyed shock and disbelief, acknowledging being left in the dark.
PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan admitted to that mistake, but stands by the deal being the right decision for the sport of golf.
Interestingly, both he and LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman were initially requested by the U.S. Senate to testify. Monahan, who shortly after the news of the deal with the PIF broke, curiously took a leave of absence citing an unnamed medical situation.
He cited that same reason as to why he could not testify before Congress. Yet, he recently revealed his plans to return to his normal job duties the following Monday.
Dunne and Price better buckle up.